Sad indeed. It's easy to see the changes in our priorities as we go through different stages of life. I could tell a few stories of recently deceased 90+ and even a 100 year old ladies. All were alone either divorced or widowed for many years. Each different but all well off financially.

All were very smart and well read. All independent women. My mother has been a widow since 1997. She's lived alone in her house sing the mid 1950's. She owns her scamming. She's never been able to look past the word "FREE." She wants for nothing but is penny wise and dollar foolish. She was always attracted to the PCH sweepstakes. She got a call and was told she won $4.5 million. So she sent the first payment, $4800 cashiers check. She told me (even though she was instructed not to). Summed up, I got the police and the bank involved and was able to cancel close to $40,000 of personal checks. She bought a burner phone for instructions and opened a new account and transferred money from an annuity. All this after she was told by PCH, the banks and the police she was being scammed. She turned on me and threatened to disown me and accused me of "ruining her life" because I had POA and she needed me to cosign transfers.
In other words, we all have weaknesses and the scammers have figured out the right formula for just about everyone. And when we're older, that formula gets a lot easier to find trusting older people who play on the internet and answer their phones to anyone with a hard luck story.
From what I've read, younger folks are actually more likely to get scammed but don't have the money to stack up with older victims.
I spoke to mom this morning and she's feeling very good after yesterday's PT. I'm getting close to suggesting she move to assisted living. This not an easy decision. She eats very healthy and even though her eyes are bothered by the screen, loves being online and listening to podcasts she believes are health experts and buys their supplements and subscriptions. She does it her way. I'm pretty sure that's the case with other victims who refuse to share their experiences with others or the authorities. No one wants to be that dummy falling for a scam. At the same time mom was a victim, another older man lost over $200k over many transactions. The scammers sell a target to other scammers. When it comes down to it, older folks with money are not a priority to law enforcement. They have enough to do.